Nissan 2011 Annual Report Download - page 14

Strategies for Growth
“global growth models,” and our intent is to make these the top sellers in their segments in all markets
where they are sold. We dedicate more time, engineering resources and marketing power to ensure the
success of these models. At the same time, by reducing vehicle complexity, we aim to bring more
choice to the customer with lower overall investment per product.
The V-platform is emblematic of this direction toward efficiency in our product portfolio. We have
launched the V-platform in all four of its mother markets: Thailand, India, China and Mexico. The
March/Micra, produced in all four plants, has been launched locally and as an export model to Japan,
the Middle East and Europe. We set ambitious targets for this platform and to date we have surpassed
every one of them. Through 2011, I expect V-platform to be a major driver in our growth. As we add a
third upper body to this platform, I expect that its success will become still more profound in the more
developed markets. We have engineered V-platform from the ground up with cost consciousness in
mind, limiting its scope to three distinct upper bodies. With these three options and over 1 million
vehicles per year, we deliver profitable sales. In this way Nissan is showing that small vehicles can be
profit drivers when executed smartly.
The Innovation Behind Our Brand
Over the past 12 months, the customer mindset toward Nissan has shown significant change. At the
most basic level, we can see it in our market share performance. More subtly, we can also see
customers recognize Nissan as a company of innovation, most vividly demonstrated by the launch and
marketing of the all-electric Nissan LEAF. We are proud to have staked out a leadership role in this
field, and we will not be letting up in our creation of brand value through zero-emission vehicles.
The Nissan LEAF is a quintessential product contributing to our brand, an adventurous exploration
of new automotive areas. We have a similarly adventurous product in our GT-R supercar, with its raw
excitement. As our branding efforts progress, we will make it clear that vehicles like these are a core
part of what it is that makes us Nissan. Innovation is a fundamental part of our DNA, and the Nissan
LEAF makes this clear.
Combine this with the excitement we bring through our products and the breadth of our product
range and I believe that we will start to see a progressive recognition of what Nissan stands for—
innovation and excitement for our customers. Throughout the Nissan Power 88 period, it is our
commitment to improving the perception of our brand to a top level.
The Stories that We Tell
Creating a good brand relies on creating good products; but that is not all. In Nissan Power 88, we
position brand improvement as one of the most critical points to support our growth and we will carry
out a wide range of efforts to achieve this.
Internally, we have changed our organization, erasing the lines between our marketing and
communications functions and integrating them tightly into the organization that executes our products.
This structure allows the voice of the customer to directly shape our products and vice versa, allows our
marketeers to communicate the merits of the products more effectively. Today’s customer sees
marketing and communications as indistinguishable, thanks to digital and social media channels that
merge companies’ advertising outreach with the customer’s ability to provide direct feedback.
Consumers are also helping each other to shape company brands through peer-based communication.
Brand is not just about television commercials: people are more sophisticated than that and marketing
to them requires more sophisticated methods that build more lasting brand cachet.
Externally, meanwhile, we are focusing on telling engaging stories about our products and
technologies. Our global website is now home to the Nissan Global Media Center, presenting
information on all aspects of our business—stories on the individuals who drive our innovation, updates
on our recovery from the March 11 earthquake and insight into all stages of the development process.
We have plans to publish these stories in multiple languages going forward.
During the Nissan Power 88 period, we intend to strengthen our brand power in ways that clearly
reflect the strengths of the products we bring to each segment and each market. This power will lead
directly to performance for the company as a whole. Our intention during the mid-term plan is to
position ourselves against the best brands in each segment. We will demonstrate results through our
transaction prices and market share, ensuring that they reflect the strengths of the products we bring
to each segment. I am confident that our concrete, well-defined actions toward these goals will build
even more compelling Nissan and Infiniti brands.
Mid-term Plan
Performance Corporate Data Corporate Governance
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NISSAN Annual Report 2011